New Delhi, Aug 24 - The Delhi High Court Monday awarded life imprisonment to a man for poisoning his friend to death in 1997.

A division bench of Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Indermeet Kaur while cancelling Hardev Prasad's bail also imposed a fine of Rs.5,000 on him.

Hardev Prasad in 1997 had invited his friend Ram Kesar to his house for a drink, in which he mixed sodium cyanide which he had stolen from the factory of his employer. Kesar died soon after having the poisoned drink.

Prasad was arrested six months after the incident.

Kesar and Prasad earlier worked in the same factory from where Prasad was dismissed.

The court, after hearing all sides, refused to give any relief to the accused and ordered him to undergo life imprisonment.